Broken & Sorry
by CrazyKitCat
Summary: The Greys regret leaving their best friends to become the famous band, Connect 3, but believe it's too late to make amends. The Dancing Sisters is a group of performers about to go on tour, with a heart-broken leader. What happens when meddling throws the two groups together? Can friendships be mended, or will hearts remain broken? [Previously "To Be or Not to Be Sorry & Forgiven"]
1. To Be Sorry

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and other (non-Camp Rock) characters.**

Nate's POV:

_When asked to describe 18 year old Nate Grey, any fan would sum him up in one word: perfect. Why would they say anything different? He had it all: the looks, the talent, the band, the fame, the house, the car, the tour… EVERYTHING! Too bad that illusion wasn't true._

_The truth was Nate Grey had given up everything, not gained it. He had given up his privacy to the paparazzi. He had given up his cozy home for the huge mansion that never seemed to give off the warmth of home. He had given up any freedom to his record label to manage as they pleased. But none of that mattered, not in the whole scheme of things anyway. What truly mattered was that he had given up his best friend, the only one who truly understood him, for the fake friends that only befriended him for his fame._

_Nate was clearly reminded of this as he played at Connect 3's concert. He always had a blast performing with his brothers at the concerts, that is, until he had to perform _the_song. Connect 3's label had loved how "Sorry" had instantly hit Number 1 within a few days of its release. Needless to say, the Grey brothers didn't share their enthusiasm. In their opinions: the less they played it, the better; only they knew that a Number 1 hit would be expected at their concerts._

_In truth, the boys had no problem with the music (that flowed naturally for them). What really bothered them was the truth and pain behind the words, and they had to be reminded nightly how they had torn their best friends' hearts to pieces._

_It was because of this that they dreaded playing "Sorry" every night. And though they argued constantly with the label about including it on their set list, they still found it halfway through every concert. Despite their constant prayers that time would stop and jump over that painful part of every concert, it still came. Halfway through every concert. Just like theyare now…_

* * *

Nate snapped back to reality. At first he noticed two things: 1, there wasn't any music playing (the trigger for his 'return'); 2, his brothers were looking at him with a mix of sympathy and concern; and 3, they were looking at him that way because they were supposed to cue in the next song together. _Fun!_ (Note the sarcasm).

At his brother's nod, Shane started them off.

"Hey! Who's having fun tonight?" Shane asked the crowd of about ten-thousand, plus. I thought he sounded a little too enthusiastic for our upcoming emotional ordeal, but still more cheerful than I felt.

At the deafening cheer from the crowd, Jason continued the introduction.

"That's great! We're gonna slow things down just a bit," he paused for their enthusiastic scream. He still had no idea why this song was such a big hit, but whatever. It was the audience's choice of what songs they'll love and which songs they won't.

"Alright! We wrote this song shortly after being signed a few months ago. At every concert we dedicate it to the same people," I continued, sounding way more upbeat than I actually felt.

"So this goes out to all of our friends and family that we left back home all those months ago. To the ones we left to be here now, we dedicate…" Shane paused for the dramatic effect, "…this is one of our number one hits, "Sorry"."

I internally sighed as I played the first few chords. On the outside, I looked happy to be given the amazing gift of sharing my music to the world; but on the inside, I was miserable.

_Broken hearts and last goodbyes_

_Restless nights but lullabies_

_Helps make this pain go away_

_I realize I let you down_

_Told you that I'd be around_

_Building up the strength just to say_

_I'm sorry_

_For breaking all the promises that I wasn't around to keep._

_It's all me_

_This time is the last time that I will ever beg you to stay._

_But you're already on your way._

_Filled with sorrow, filled with pain_

_Knowing that I am to blame_

_For leaving your heart out in the rain_

_And I know your gonna walk away_

_And leave me with the price to pay_

_But before you go I wanted to say_

_Yeah!_

_That I'm sorry_

_For breaking all the promises that I wasn't around to keep_

_It's all me_

_This time is the last time that I will ever beg you to stay._

_But you're already on your way._

This song hurt so much because all of it was true. I had asked Mary-Catherine Santiago, my best friend (and now ex-girlfriend), to stay back, stay "normal," and to accept my pathetic apologies for abandoning her for the promise of fame. We had promised her we would never hurt her, yet when we left we did just that. I never made time to keep in contact with her and, though I never intended for it to happen, she and I had gone our separate ways. Mary had done the expected after being ignored: she ignored my requests to stay out of the spotlight, and was rising to fame in her own spotlight, and truly, I couldn't be more proud.

Only as I thought back on her now, I realized something that I know will pain me till the day I die; I love Mary. Not _loved_ as in past tense, but _love_ as in past, present, and future tense. I loved her then and I threw her away as if she was nothing for the false promises of fame. I never told her that when we dated and now I'd never have the chance. I only realized that mistake when I had judged it to be too late, and therefore I hadn't tried to re-contact her.

Inspired by this revelation, I threw all of my energy, all of my power, all of my raw emotion into the next verse.

_Can't make it alive on my own_

_But if you have to go, then please girl_

_Just leave me alone._

_Cause I don't want to see you and me going our separate ways._

_I'm begging you to stay_

_If it isn't too late_

_I'm sorry_

_For breaking all the promises that I wasn't around to keep._

_It's all me_

_This time is the last time that I will ever beg you to stay._

_But you're already on your way._

_But you're already on your way…_

As Shane and I sang the last note my heart broke, and with my heart, my composure. I knew that I would always love my May-Cat, and Shane would love his Caity, but we would never be given a second chance to show them. I knew that she wouldn't be in the crowd. She'd be back home, in Texas, most likely in her room with Caitlyn. So I had no good definite reason for what I did next.

Only the first few rows and my brothers heard me, but by the next day the world will know how a teary-eyed Nate Grey had ended Connect 3's concert prematurely after performing the band's hit, "Sorry," by running off-stage after whispering "I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you, but I did and I'm sorry. I can never truly show… how much pain our separation causes me every second…but I can say that I'm sorry, I love you…"

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**Oh! and the song is "Sorry" by the Jonas Brothers. Sorry, I forgot to put that in at first!**

**Please, please, PLEASE! Rate and Review! I love reading other people's stories and I try to let them know that. So please let me know what you think, but please no bashing it. I appreciate constructive criticism, but HATE it when people bash me and give me nothing to use to improve my writing…**

**So PLEASE: Don't be a Hater****, be a Rater! ****(Bad pun, I know). ;)**

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	2. Meeting Mary

**Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING FROM CAMP ROCK! Disney does. I only own Leah, Mary, "The Dancing Sisters School of Dance," and the plot. This chapter is mainly developing the characters of The D.S.S.O.D. but all of what I write here is important for later.**

**I meant to post this yesterday in honor of one of my best friends becoming an aunt. Congratulations Le-Le! Happy (belated by a day) birthday Colten! This is for you!**

**Now read on…**

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**Meeting:**

The first time Nate ever saw his best friend is clear in his memory. That was probably because it was a very traumatic incident for a six-year-old kindergartener.

When Mary Santiago was 5, her family was in a terrible car crash. She was the only survivor. Alone and cold, in the dead of night, she had gathered all she could carry and walked. She knew she had a long walk ahead of her because the crash had been on an old, little-used country road. She knew she was miles from help.

Several hours later, the Greys found her passed out on the side of the road. They pulled over to help her for a few reasons: one, because she was all young, alone, and passed out in the middle of no-where; two, the three boys, Shane, Nate, and Jason, were curious. All she had was the clothes on her back, her teddy, and her surprisingly well-stocked backpack containing necessities and two wallets full of money.

Mrs. Grey immediately insisted Mary come with them until they found her family, but after the young girl explained what had happened, Denise insisted that they make Mary a part of their family. Mary agreed to go with the Greys and stood up, before she collapsed.

Jason, 8-years-old at the time, was immediately at her side. He went to pick up the young girl, but immediately panicked from the amount of heat radiating from her. A few hours later, they were told that she had suffered from a panic attack and was in a coma.

In the weeks that followed, at least one of the three brothers was at her side, and after four weeks, she woke up to see two young boys staring expectantly at her. Alarmed, she sought the one closest to her in age, and she found that person in Nate.

The 6-year-old then told her how his "Mommy" and his "Daddy" had become Mary's legal guardians, and she was very happy. They all were happy.

The Greys hadn't legally adopted her due to lack of agreement on her parents' part but, due to the lack of her parents' wills and her enthusiasm to stay with them, they had managed custody as if she were a foster child. Shane (7) and Jason were like Mary's older brothers, while Nate was her best friend. The boys were overly protective, cynical, brotherly, protective, loving, compassionate, protective, musically-gifted, (did I mention protective?) and Mary loved them for it.

This was how it was for all of them. They were like a family, but one that was slightly disconnected. It was like she lived at her best friend's house and his older brothers were protective of her by knowing her so well and loving her. Either way, life was perfect.

**Junior-High School:**

Nate Grey glanced over his song, checking the notes and humming them to make sure they all blended together right.

"BOO!" a voice suddenly shouted, right next to him causing him to jump nearly a foot in the air.

Mary stood next to him, grinning with her lunch tray in hand and "girl" best friend, Caitlyn, at her flank. (He was her "guy" best friend).

"Sorry," she apologized, trying to not laugh at his reaction.

Noticing her smirk, he decided to mess with her a bit. Pretending to be sullen and upset, he didn't say anything as he turned away from her.

"Nate?" Mary was worried. That was good, it meant she was sorry. "I didn't mean it…please look at me…alright, alright, you win. 'I'm sorry.' Are you happy?...Nate…Please look at me…I said I was…"

When she least expected it, he spun around, grabbed her arm and yanked her down so that she fell into the empty seat beside him. Her mouth opened into an "o" shape, right before he started to tickle her. The courtyard was soon full of Mary's laughter and her pleas for him to stop. After a few minutes, he complied and scooted over so that Caitlyn could have some room to join them at the table. She thanked him and sat down, stealing one of his French fries in one swift, dancer-like motion.

He cocked an eyebrow and grinned. "Thanks? For the seat or the fry?"

Mary, who had moved to sit across from her two best friends, smirked across at him. "Both," she told him, and swiped a fry herself. She took a bite of his sandwich, leaving hers untouched, and eyed him carefully, wanting to avoid another tickle war. He watched as she eyed his notebook and looked at him questioningly.

"What?" he asked.

"You didn't eat, did you?"

Nate looked at his tray as though it had just appeared. "No. I guess I got caught up in writing again," he explained. "The notes just come to me, and I have to write them."

"What's it about this time?" Cait asked, her expression telling him she didn't approve his habits, but was curious.

Nate grinned. "Us! How we're all friends and how I love that my brothers hang out with us, as opposed to avoiding us like other older kids do." His eighth grade smile and enthusiasm made Mary smile despite her disapproval.

A shadow overcame them and a large hand reached down, grabbing Nate's notebook that held his new song. The three of them whirled around to find the bully of this school leering down at them. Nate made a grab for his notebook, but the bully leapt back.

"What have we here?" he jeered. He glanced down at the notebook and laughed. "You're writing poetry?" he asked disbelievingly.

"They're songs," Mary growled, as she stood and moved to hold the now-violent Caitlyn back.

"Nate, girl, this isn't worth keeping," he said, and grinned at Nate. "I'll just get rid of it for you."

As he made a move to rip the book down the middle, Mary simply released Caitlyn, who knocked the bully to the ground and dealt him two hard punches to his nose that left him screaming and writhing as Mary quickly re-grabbed the curly-haired brunette, before she could inflict any more damage. Once Cait was calm (at least calm-enough to release), Mary picked up the notebook and turned around to hand it to Nate with a small smile, before she, Caitlyn, the bully (Luke), and his two followers were led to the office.

In that moment, Nate Gray fell in love with Mary Santiago.

Nate saw her and Caitlyn the next day, Caitlyn's hand bandaged in a black semi-hard cast. Caitlyn waved off his concern with another one of her winning smiles and said, "Don't worry. It's you we're more worried about."

As they split up, Mary turned and motioned for Nate to follow her, as Caitlyn left to do a bit of extra studying.

"I'm sorry," he apologized as they walked through the halls to the exit, threading their way through the other students that pushed and shoved against them.

"For what?" Mary stopped him, confused.

"For you two always having to fight for me," Nate explained. "I always feel so weak when I watch you, and you've broken a few bones over me."

Mary smiled and laughed a bit as she looked up at Nate, who was slightly taller than she was. "You don't have to be sorry," she told him. "It just shows how much I care. You're worth it, I guess." Her shy smile said it all. She liked him too!

In that moment, she became his imaginary girlfriend.

**High School:**

They never spoke of their attraction. They simply existed together, ignoring the others around them unless someone posed a threat. And that was the way it went on for years. Nate and his brothers surpassed everyone in music class, and the girls were never far behind.

Now, the protection was mutual. Mary protected with her fists. Nate protected with his words. And Jason and Shane protected them both overall. While Mary would be happy to deck someone who messed with her or Nate or their other friends, Nate chose to diplomatically edge his way out before he was forced to use force. _That_ didn't usually end well.

Now, as he sketched a score for his and his brothers' band to play, Nate couldn't help but glance over at the page nestled under his score sheet. It was one of the many fliers proclaiming the school's end-of-the-year dance.

He should ask Mary. But she might say no. And then he would feel stupid.

Speaking of Mary, where was she? He checked his watch, anxious. Her senior boyfriend (he hated that guy) should have brought her back from off-campus lunch by now. He had taken her out to celebrate the completion of her sophomore year, but they should have been back by now.

Nate decided to look for her and quickly stuffed the rest of his school books and papers into his backpack.

He looked everywhere for her. In every hallway, in the library, in the cafeteria, in the gym, in the music room and he even snuck into the teachers' lounge to make sure that she hadn't ended up there out of sheer today-is-my-last-day-of-school-and-there's-nothing-you-can-do-about-it willfulness. She wasn't in there either.

As he passed by the bathrooms on the third floor, he heard a loud sniffle. Startled, Nate paused for a moment, waiting. Sure enough, a sob followed that trailed off into a cough. Nate closed his eyes and leaned his head against the door. Somehow, he knew that it was Mary in there. And she never cried.

He pushed the door open silently and slid inside, finding his best friend leaning against the far wall, her head in her hands. In that moment, he knew that he wanted to protect her more than ever before. Without a word, he crossed over to her and gathered her into his arms. The sobs came for a long time, never diminishing in their intensity. Nate stroked her hair as he rocked her, making shushing noises, all the while ignoring the awkwardness of him being in the girl's bathroom.

"He dumped me," she whispered in between bouts of sobs. "He dumped me."

"Then he's an idiot," Nate told her harshly, his grip on her arms tightening unconsciously. He was going to kill that boy! "Would you like me to go beat him up?" Nate asked.

Mary laughed, but upon seeing his very serious face, she sobered a little and her eyes shone. "You wouldn't," she told him.

Nate looked down at her very calmly and said, "It doesn't matter. I'd do anything for you."

Mary swallowed. Nate swallowed. "Anything?" she asked quietly.

Nate nodded. "Anything."

Mary looked up into his eyes and whispered, "Will you go to the dance with me?"

Nate nodded. "Yes."

"Will you kiss me?" she asked, a faint blush staining her cheeks, an uncommon reaction from Mary Santiago.

"Yes." And he did. That day they became an official couple.

**A Year Later**

The colorful dresses were everywhere and Mary felt quite in place as she weaved her way through the swirling skirts and cheerful faces in the crowd. She had never quite pictured herself in the center of a room full of dressed up people when she suggested they have a dance-studio-opening party. She shrugged slightly and scanned the room for Nate.

Catching sight of him leaning inconspicuously against the wall, Mary felt herself momentarily breathless before reminding herself of the necessity of air in her lungs. Nervously, she made her way through the smiling guests, heart racing and palms sweating as she tried to decide what to say. Instead she dragged him to the dance floor.

_Mary had kept them all together through thick and thin. For example, when both of Caitlyn's parents had died in a car accident a little after she and Nate started dating; Mary refused to let her friend be separated from them into a foster home. They took their case to the court and somehow, through the grace of God, they left as emancipated-minor sisters. This said that, although they were only 16, they would be considered sisters by law (like as if they had been adopted into each other's family) and that they would have to fend for themselves in the world from now on as if they were adults, as in supplying food, drink, protection, education and a job for themselves from now on. Both had readily agreed and were able to inherit Mary's keepsake (her parents' old mansion) 1 year early._

_They had quickly converted the old house into a renovated dance studio on the bottom 2 floors and had converted the attic into a nice, shared bedroom. While Caitlyn had originally wanted to call it the "Mary Santiago School of Dance," Mary had convinced her that she would prefer "The Dancing Sisters School of Dance," and since it was "her" house, they had agreed, making them all dance instructors for all ages._

_For reasons beyond their understanding, Mary and Cait were considered to be dancing prodigies and were quite in shape. Caitlyn's high energy and tendency to make noise was shown in her tap, jazz, hip hop, Irish river dancing, salsa, tango, and other up-beat dances._

_Mary was truly considered the dancing prodigy. She was called this because, no matter what dance it was, Mary excelled in it naturally. Her grace and upbeat attitude allowed her to excel at all forms._

_Since Mary and Caitlyn were living their dream, but never having enough time to teach everyone, they had hired other dance instructors for everyone else and held auditions for their "Elite" dance team, whom they choreographed and wrote music for. The Elites were led by the two girls, their friend, Leah DeLoncre, and their partners, Cait was with Roshon Fegan, Leah was with Jordan Francis, and Mary was with Matthew Finley. _**(Sorry anyone who's insulted by me not using the three actor's character's names, I will use them but just as nicknames that they have "no idea" how they came about. I just feel easier using the actor's names and the characters' personalities, although Matthew will be VERY different from hi\s Camp Rock character Luke).**

* * *

Their relationship was going too smoothly to not have its flaws at some point. Mary had felt the tension when she entered hers and Cait's room later that week to find Danielle and Jason, Cait and Shane, Leah and Jordan (partners on the dance floor and now off stage), Matthew, and Roshon all chattering excitedly as Nate stared at the TV, alone. Something was on his mind and she was afraid of what it might be, especially when she sat next to him wordlessly and he didn't even take her hand as usual.

The fear took a firm grip on her and Mary felt her throat tighten. What could he be thinking that could make him so worried? She was pretty sure she hadn't done anything, so he wasn't going to break up with her…was he?

"What is it, Nate?" she murmured with a sigh, slipping her hand into his and feeling him squeeze her fingers before turning to meet her eyes.

"Nothing."

"Don't lie, please, I shouldn't have to tell you that I can tell when you're keeping something from me." Mary turned to face him better on the bed, "Because I can read you like a book." Her comment brought a ghost of a smile to his face where it disappeared quickly as he sighed.

She wanted to see him smile so much that she opened her mouth to say something witty but "I missed you!" came out first as Nate engulfed her in a tight hug, "I'm so glad you're back!"

"Yeah, me too." He assured her with a laugh, beaming down at her before pressing a soft kiss on her lips, "Next time, you've got to come with us to L.A."

"I'd like that much better than sitting around waiting for you to get back here." She smiled, "But we'll see how things go. Let's not think about it right now-you're back and aren't leaving against for awhile!"

She noticed how fidgety he looked, but tried to ignore it as she, Caitlyn and the Grey boys hung out that night. Maybe he was just nervous being with her again, for some reason there were butterflies in her stomach at having him there.

* * *

Now, a few days later, Mary was leaning against the headboard of her bed wrapped in the sheets featuring the "Birds of Paradise" show from Disney World. Nate was next to her, with his arm casually around her shoulders. Shane, like any other perfect (NOT) 18-year-old is sulking in the hanging bowl chair, supposedly because he wasn't allowed to have a new iTouch since he broke his, while the 19-year-old Jason was sitting at the window seat gazing outside carelessly. Well almost carelessly, Mary could see past their charades, though she didn't let them know that she knew they were acting. At 16, she was wise beyond her years and was very perceptive. Sometimes she even had helped tutor the older boys with their homework when she wasn't dancing or producing and they weren't playing their instruments. But she wasn't pressing the unknown topic of the reasons behind their sulky attitudes. She could tell when pressing something would only provoke them and now was one of those times. She turned back to the book she was reading for school.

JASON'S POV:

I peeked out of the corner of my eyes to see Mary working diligently on her track. I sigh.

I don't know what to do! Nate was heard singing at Camp Rock, and Badda-Bing, Badda-Boom, we have a record deal. The only thing is, is that we have to move to Los Angeles for the deal to work, leaving Texas and Mary.

As her ex-foster-guardians, we have custody over her if we live in Texas, her home. In the rural outskirts of Austin, we never thought that would be a problem, but now we see otherwise.

The record deal really is a bargain-grab. Like we would be idiots not to take it, but we would have to be bigger idiots to let our little sis go. I don't know what to do, but I do wish there was a compromise; this was torture to have to choose between career and almost-sorta-kinda family.

SHANE'S POV:

The others probably think I'm sulking because Jason has an iPod while I mine is broken. Well, Mary probably thinks that, but it's not true, that's just a cover-up story. Nate and Jase know the real reasons why I'm upset, just Mary can't know yet. We had decided Nate would tell her.

I'm not too sure why we can't tell Mary that we have a record deal though. I have to wait till one of them thinks it's a good time, saying I'm not finely-tuned enough as a hormonal teen and should just wait a little longer. How much longer am I supposed to wait though? We leave in a week! No a month, not two weeks, A WEEK.

How does anyone expect me to get up and leave Mary so easily though? SHE'S JUST LIKE MY FREAKING SISTER! No one should be forced to abandon her, yet we are. My only comfort is that she has Caitlyn, my girlfriend, who I also have to leave! I have to dump my girlfriend for some stupid company to sign us! Stupid record company.

Well I guess we're doing it submissively, but we are not happy with this. At least most of us aren't. Nate seems ok with it though, almost as if he hadn't considered leaving Mary, his girlfriend. Now that I think about it, he might not have…

MARY'S POV:

I couldn't take it anymore. I had to know what was going through the boys' heads. I could tell Cait was worried too as I looked up.

"What's wrong now?" Mary sighed, whispering the question worriedly in his ear where they sat on the couch in the roomful of people. He tossed a glance her way before reaching for her head, a hint of a smile on his face.

"What could be wrong?" he murmured.

Mary then grabbed him and dragged him downstairs and into the backyard, climbing a tree behind the pool.

"Okay, spill." Mary demanded, having reached her favorite high-spot in the tree, him only slightly lower. Something was definitely bothering him and he wasn't saying what it was. Maybe being in private he'd fess up.

"What do you mean?" Nate asked, looking guilty as he impatiently sighed. At times she wondered if he strived to make her show her short temper and patience.

"You're acting all nervous…Why would you be so nervous?" she spoke out loud, "We're back together, I thought that would make us both happy. I mean I know Camp Rock was long and you missed me, but still! I don't want this tension you seem to have built up, but I can't think of what would make her upset or anxious about being back."

"You're rambling, Cait." Nate whispered, but she couldn't place his tone. She rambled when nervous and she was definitely bothered by his strange mood that evening.

"Just tell me why your see nervous, please." She practically begged, resting her hands on his shoulders, but unable to keep the corners of her mouth turn upward at his own small smile.

Nate reached up and stroked her cheek comfortingly before holding up a contract in his free hand. Mary was confused and frowned when he sighed sadly, so he continued. "This is why. It's a recording contract. My family's moving away. We're going to become a band in L.A."

"Sooo…?" Mary prodded.

"It means that I have to break up with you…since you have to stay here…" he started, but before he had finished, she had jumped out of the tree and had ran off. As she ran away, she registered those words. She wasn't important enough to keep him. He had broken his promises. He didn't want her. As her composure broke, so did her heart.

**Several Months Later (Today)**

MARY'S POV:

Mary was hanging out in her bedroom in Austin, Texas with her two best friends, Caitlyn and Leah. Mary had loved both because they were polar opposites.

Leah Christine DeLoncre was Mary's calm and mature extreme. Mary had befriended Leah after the guys had left and she had joined the dance studio. She always was able lighten the tension in any argument, including her best friend's heated debates. Whenever Mary and Cait decided it would be a good time to wrestle, even in a joking/playful way, only Leah could calm them down enough to separate them (since no matter how good-humored they started out as, it always turned into a fight to win). Leah's calm exterior often gave way to her inner childish energy when alone with her two best friends, showing that she could sometimes be just as childish, crazy, and energetic as Cait and Mary were together.

Often being the most mature and mother-like of the three, she gained the nicknames of "Mommy" and "Nursely" (originating from their shared passion for theatrical drama and Shakespeare, and his _Romeo and Juliet_) from the two other dancers. They all three balanced each other out. And while all three could have been brilliant leaders, Mary was their unspoken leader when an issue came up.

All three girls and Roshon, Jordan, and Matt were like siblings, and had no issues all crashing in Mary's (and Cait's, though they always just called it "Mary's" room, much to Mary's chagrin, though she knew better than to fight them on it by now) floor after a hard workout. The three girls were determined to succeed at dance, and the guys were determined to annoy them, so the girls usually rode the guys' butts to success.

They were all fond on that very same floor now, after having an impromptu sleepover. (Yes, boys and girls that are in the middle of their junior year of high school can all have a sleepover). It was only 8 in the morning on a Saturday in Austin, but after waking up every day at 6 (7 for the lazy-butt Cait) to rehearse before they were all home-schooled every day, they were already awake.

All of us COULD NOT believe we are going to go on tour! The Elites had been seen at one of their competitions (which they won) with the girls singing their original "According to You," (that Danielle, who had gone with the boys, wrote for them based off of a bad ex-relationship) and a producer had seen them. At their competitions, the 6 leaders liked singing their own music to dance to, though they did also choreograph dances to recorded tracks too. But anyway, the producer had offered to manage them as he offered the Elites a tour deal, but Cait—being Cait—had quickly stepped in and said that she and Leah already co-managed Mary. This was semi-true, OK, REALLY true, with Cait getting them gigs, being all "publicist-y," and Leah being like the secretary for all of them, as Mary ran most things at the studio, but they all agreed that they would love to go on tour with one exception to Alexi's and Lawrence's (the producers/off-the-scene publicists) offer: the girls remained the managers of the team, a condition they readily agreed to.

Soon after that, another 2 people joined their family, John and Paul as Co-Heads of Security. Paul soon became Mary and Caitlyn's personal bodyguard/handler (them being the most energetic/quick-to-anger/unpredictable), as the 2 girls shot higher to fame. The Leah and the boys rose too, but preferred to let the two girls have the limelight, mostly preferring to only shine on stage (mostly in the background). Cait and Mary were to most rambunctious of them all and since Paul was the stronger and bigger guard, he offered to cover just those two, while John covered the other four main performers, a compromise everyone accepted.

John and Paul, being adults, stayed in the basement of the studio (**A.K.A., if you haven't gotten it, Mary's house has 2 parts: "the studio" and "Mary's room/apartment"**) while 2 more sets of bunk beds were brought into the attic, well one double bunk (for Leah and Cait) and a triple bunk (for the boys). Mary had a single Queen-sized bed opposite the room of the boy's bunk, which was near the stairs going down, and the girl's bunk was on the opposing wall of the stairs.

They were really good at working together and their family was happy. They danced together, ate together, and did everything together.

* * *

Today was February 5, 2011, currently they were all "writing" a new song to perform at one of their concerts, but they were really rolling on the floor laughing at each other, messing around. Mary usually wrote their music but she was out of ideas, so they were helping her. They were listening to the radio while working and were shocked and froze at what they heard next:

_"This is Hot Tunes Radio. Last night, Connect 3's concert ended early. Here's Wendy McZee telling us about what she saw._

_Wendy: "Nate broke down at the concert last night to his secret lover… We don't know much more than that after he played C3's popular hit, "Sorry," he had to take a break backstage. To cover this up, Connect 3's opening act, Mitchie Torres came out for an encore presentation. Connect 3 never came back out after Mitchie finished. Now our question is: who was so important that Nate had to end his concert early by saying 'I'm sorry my love,'? Now back to the main station."_

_Thank you Wendy, next we shall visit…"_

Matthew reached over and shut off the radio, as everyone turned to look at Caitlyn and Mary. Everyone knew what happened between the boys of Connect 3 and all of them, and also knew it had hurt Cait and Mary the most. It was still a delicate topic since the boys of Connect 3 and Danielle had left, only about 7 months ago (July 9, 2010). None one had heard from them since. The Greys had broken their hearts and the boys were very protective of them, like older brothers, now. Caitlyn was looking at Mary in concern.

MARY'S POV:

I was in shock. I knew that I was the only one Nate could have been referring to, but I couldn't believe that he still loved me. There was no way. I mean, yes, I did still love him, but HE still love ME?

It was inconceivable! HE left ME. Now he thinks I'll forgive him so easily by him begging for my forgiveness like this? There was NO way I was going to accept this.

Suddenly inspired, I wordlessly grabbed my notebook and went off to the recording room, ignoring their concerned looks as they watched me leave.

When Caitlyn went to find her one hour later, Cait found Mary rereading her brand new song.

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**Sorry. I know how much this chapter was on developing the characters, but the next chapters will have more dialogue and interaction between characters. Next chapter is especially based on establishing the relationship that Mary and Nate had with each other before he became a pop star.**

**I know I originally was planning on this being a 3-shot, but I don't want to leave Mary, so I've planned out (at least) 34 more chapters, and more will join that!**

**Thank you to all of my amazing friends who I based my characters on! Love you all!**

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**So, I know that I already posted a chapter 2, but I got an honest review and realized that my chapters 2 and 3 wouldn't mesh together right so I combined them. I hope you like the re-write, I'm very happy with it so no mean comments! (If you have to, lie instead of saying you don't like it, just this once).**

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**So please Rate and Review! Let me know what you honestly think, but don't be mean. If you are mean, I will cry, delete that review, and cry some more. That is, unless you add some SUPPORTIVE criticism. Then I would be happy!**

**Thank you all who have reviewed! It means a lot to me!**


	3. I Found Her!

**DISCLAIMER: The only thing I own is the plot and my characters. And I have rights to both of those.**

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SHANE'S POV:

I still can't believe it! After Nate told the fans about our lost loves, he brought us home and locked himself in his room where he's been the last few days. Our only hint that he's even alive is the disappearing food from the trays we leave outside his bedroom door.

I'm so close to calling Caitlyn for advice. She always brightened my mood…but that was because she was my girlfriend…oh who cares? I need Nate to feel better and if calling Caitlyn will help, that's the cost.

Jason was watching a nature show, so I don't think he'd mind if I left to make a phone call. The only one who did mind was his girlfriend, Danielle, who decided to follow me out.

She was the first one to speak after we left the main room on the tour bus for the privacy of the bunks. "So…whatcha' doin'?" she asked me, imitating Isabella from "Phineas and Ferb."

"I need to make a quick phone call," I replied.

She watched me as I pulled out my iPhone to call Caitlyn. "Caitlyn won't answer," she said as she watched me dial the number I had memorized.

"Ells? ..." I started slowly, "How do you know? ..." I gently prodded. I had to admit, I was curious. Why did Dani think she knew more about my ex than I did?

"Because, she's still hurt by the way you broke up with her; just like Mary's still upset with Nate. They still love you guys but don't understand why you broke up with them. And that also means that, while she cares about Nate, she's going to be defensive of Mary and will not be willing to help you."

I just stared at her. "How do you know this?" I asked when I finally found my voice.

She gave me a small smile before explaining how she had been remaining in contact with the girls after we left. She told me about their broken hearts and how they had begged Dani, their old friend from earlier years at their childhood dance studio, to not leave them as well and how she had agreed.

After she explained it took me a few extra minutes to fully register everything she said. Once I did register, I got up from my bunk, walked to the door to the room (which I knew to be sound-proof), and slid it closed. Without turning around, I asked her over my shoulder, "You knew. You knew and you never told me? Never told US? You've seen Nate and me DYING without them and you CHOSE to keep them from us?" I had started with a whisper but had ended up shouting in her face. She didn't even flinch. Kudos to her, but I was still mad.

"Did you ever consider that I might've been cut off if I had told? That I didn't tell because they asked me not to? That I WANTED to comfort you guys with that but I couldn't. I didn't want us to loose them. And that it's KILLING me to see Nate in his room trying desperately to find her but can't and I can't help him?" Her voice never rose but by the time she was done, she was crying.

"Does…" I started, but she cut me off.

"No. No, I haven't told Jason, the only other person who knows is your mom," she answered.

I was at a loss for words. I had been suffering, so had Nate (though Nate's suffering had been a little more visible) yet it seemed that Danielle, one of my closest friends, had been suffering as much. The only difference is that, while Nate and I had each other to go to, Danielle had no one. She had been suffering in solitude. How can _I_ comfort _that_?

I tried desperately to speak. She deserved that much, yet I couldn't get my mouth to move. My anger was slowly dying as I watched her. As soon as I saw her first tears, I was by her side, comforting her.

Dani was my sister in every way Mary had been. After three years of her dating Jason, I knew the 21-year-old designer very well and was protective of her. I hated to see her cry.

After a while her tears slowed and she looked down at my now-soaked shirt. "I'm so sorry!" she cried in dismay. "I'm such a ditz! My mascara ruined your shirt!"

I took her chin and lifted it so that I could look her in the eyes as I said, "The t-shirt is old and worn, it's you I'm more worried about," I told her honestly.

"Thanks," she said, embarrassed. "But still, I'll fix it at the next overnight pit-stop."

"Ok," I agreed. "But what about…"

"I'll take care of that too," she interrupted me. Taking on a very business-like demeanor, she continued. "Now, Jason's going to be getting suspicious. I need you to change into this shirt and head back out there." Noticing my expression, she softened a bit. "I'm going to make a very important phone call after I wash my face. I don't want anyone coming in here to bother me. I'll be done by the time we stop for dinner. Tell Jase not to worry and that I love him, ok?"

She looked at me pointedly, silently telling me that if any of what she had just said was left out, or if I let any of our earlier conversation slip out, I would really regret it. I simply replayed with a nod as I changed into the shirt she had handed to me.

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Jason looked up as I re-joined him in the main room of the tour bus. "Where's Dani?" were the first words out of his mouth. _'He is so in love with her, it's hilarious how much he relies on her'_ I thought to myself as he continued, "Didn't she go out with you?"

I opened my mouth to respond when Nate walked in and beat me to it. "She's in the bunks. She just bit my head off when I made the mistake of wanting to grab my phone from my bunk. She's making an important phone call and doesn't want anyone to bother her. She said that she'd murder anyone who didn't 'let her be' till dinner, or until she rejoined us, whichever came first I guess."

"What he said," I affirmed for Jason.

"Oh, ok…" Jason said dejectedly. "…What were you guys talking about before…" he continued before he saw me quickly glance at Nate, who had moved with his laptop to the kitchenette table. "Ohhh…ok, never mind…forget I said anything…so about these birds…" he tried to distract from the awkwardness he had almost created, by referring back to the TV, but the damage had been done.

"I know you guys were talking about me," Nate said as he stood and moved to the loveseat by the couch as I took the recliner across from him. "Well if you're _really _curious about what I was doing, you COULD just ask."

"Alright," I said angrily, "What _have_ you been up to the past few days, you've been locked in your room?"

"Well excuse me," he stood and went back to his laptop, "I've been looking for the _girls_ if you MUST know. I've also been looking for plane tickets back to Texas so that I can search there in person." He made sure to specifically say "girls" just to throw it back in my face.

I had just stood to confront him even more, when Danielle (who also doubled as our "mother/peace-keeper" on tour) walked back in.

She simply gave me a quick nod, telling me to both calm down and that she had called, before she joined an awkward-feeling Jason on the couch. Fuming, I leaned back in my chair and shut my eyes. We lapsed into a calm, but tense, silence.

Luckily it didn't last long as Nate jumped up exclaiming, "I found her! I just got an Evite from Caitlyn! We've been invited to Mary's birthday party next week!"

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**So I had more planned for this chapter, (specifically from Caitlyn's POV) but I thought that this was a good ending. I know that this chapter is a little shorter but I'm still so happy that I've gotten past my writer's block!**

**Thanks to my mom, I've re-posted chapters 1 & 2, with grammar fixes.**

**I'd also like to thank my new editor, Umi no Kurayami****, who is going to help me fix said annoying grammar errors before posting from this point on. This is the first chapter that he's edited, so anything in the first two chapters was ME! Don't blame him for that.**

**I'm planning on updating at least once a week, (most likely on Fridays or Saturdays) but that also depends on the editor's speed and the amount of homework I have. Also, my robotics team is going to the World FTC competition, so (since I'm the Captain) that might hold me back a bit as well.**

**Thank you to all of my amazing reviewers! Every time I get a good review, I do a little happy-dance in my bedroom. I like my happy dances so please R&R!**


	4. Planning A Comeback

**DISCLAIMER: Although I do wish I owned Camp Rock, if only just so that I don't have to write a disclaimer on every chapter, I don't. That would be Disney. All I own are the OCs, "The Dancing Sisters' School of Dance," and the plot. I don't even get to say I own the credit for editing the final copy (that's Umi no Kurayami).**

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CAITLYN'S POV:

I hit the ENTER key and sighed as I leaned back in my chair and tried to rub the exhaustion from my face. Remaining leaned back, I closed my eyes and thought through my day up until now.

I had woken up early and, after failing to go back to sleep trudged downstairs to the SpotLight ballroom, also known as our main ballroom. Mary—of course—was already up, working on our set list for the tour…

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_Mary looked up at me and smiled._

"_Hey girly. How did you sleep?"_

"_Not bad actually," I responded as I dragged my feet to the coffee maker in the corner. Yes, mary had actually moved the coffee maker from the kitchen to here, knowing that we would go straight for the coffee and if the coffee was in the kitchen, we would never get to the rehearsal. "How many days have you been up now?"_

_Mary smiled at their inside joke. She would ask how Caitlyn had slept and Caitlyn would respond by asking how many days its been since I last slept. I had a slight…ok, random case of insomnia. Some days I was tired. Others, I could stay up for three days in a row without it affecting me too much._

_I smiled back at my best friend, who was actually looking at me seriously. I sighed and said, "I slept four hours the night before last."_

"_And since you last ate? Mary, I know that your ADD medication makes you not hungry, but babe, you gotta eat a decent meal…one that I'm going to make us now." She tied her hair back into a ponytail, using a rubber band on her wrist, as she spoke. She glared down my defiant frown. "And no, don't you dare argue with me Maria Catherine." _

"_Like hell I won't argue this. I need to finish the set list and then we have to rehearse. I have to write more lyrics, while you have to write and make the tracks for it…and…and."_

"_And nothing! Mary, you have to eat and sleep. Granted, you can deal with less sleep than I can, and you don't eat as much as I do, you still have the same metabolism as me and have to eat."_

_I left no room for argument so she finally complied. Leah and the boys found us making everyone's favorite breakfasts, laughing at each other's attempts to flip pancakes in the skillet._

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All in all, I had spent all morning going through tour prep torture before Roshon and Jordan _finally_ stole Leah and I away to "go out to lunch," around noon. Mary, poor thing, was too focused on planning for the tour prep and writing new songs about her broken heart that didn't even notice that it sounded like we were going on a date, which we weren't. She didn't even notice that we didn't even leave the building, choosing to raid the vending machine in the break-room, instead of actually going out.

In reality, we were planning Mary's birthday party. Or rather, were going over a few last minute details for it…Did I mention that it's a surprise party? No? Well it is.

See, Mary's birthday falls on February 11, but because of tour preparations, she asked us to "forget" her birthday this year. Being the AMAZING friends that we were, Leah had agreed for us while Rosh, Jord, Matt, and I said nothing. This way I could plan the party, Leah gives suggestions and the guys help make it happen, and no one breaks a promise to Mary.

Everything for the party had been planned WEEKS ago. The invitations had been sent, guests had RSVPed, we had booked a location and entertainment, and the food buffet and decorations (mine and Matthew's favorite part of planning was the food) had been decided on. Actually, the location was the Studio. We had told Mary that we wanted to hold a "Valentine's Dance" and she had agreed to let us use the SpotLight ballroom to hold it. She also had agreed for us to give a mini-performance on the stage we had set up in there to practice for tour.

So overall this meeting had been to set up a plan to get Mary out of the house long enough on Sunday to tear down all of the hearts, get all of the people in their t-shirts and jeans and out of their semi-formal dress clothes, and replace all of the heart décor in the SpotLight with birthday signs and non-heart-based food.

During the planning, we had truly realized how blessed we were to have her birthday be when it is: three days before the day of "Hearts and Roses and _Blech_." Instead of celebrating her birthday on her birthday this Friday, we had decided to let her think we had gone through with the "no party" plan before turning the tables and throwing her an amazing party.

Thankfully, that meeting only took away our lunchtime, so we took 3-packs of Snowballs© each, using my key. We lasted three hours on that sugar high crashed and only one hour of us NOT getting anything done before Caitlyn sent us up to take a nap before we met with Lexi and Lawrence at dinner to discuss possible opening acts.

Smiling I remember what happens next…

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RANDOM POV's:

"_Yo" Caitlyn said into the phone, putting it on speaker, as she climbed the stairs with her friends._

"_Caitlyn? Are you alone… I mean, is Mary with you?" Danielle's voice came from the phone._

"_No. Me, Romeo, Juliet, Romeo's best mate and Leah are going up for a nap…"_

_Danielle simply chuckled as she heard Roshon, Jordan, and Matthews' feeble protests to the nicknames over the phone. "Hi guys!"_

"_Hi." They responded tired._

"_So what's up?" Caitlyn asked. "We're kinda tired…"_

_Danielle simply chuckled and asked, "Sugar high and crash?"_

"_You know us too well," I responded._

"_Well I need to talk to all of you guys actually, but only if Mary's not with you… It's really important. It's about Nate…Can you talk now?" Danielle sounded nervous and scared. "Please?"_

_That quickened the dancer's pace as they ran up the rest of the stairs and into the master bedroom, quickly locking the door and taking seats in their beanbags. Rosh and J lying on their stomachs side-by-side, leah resting on her side, Caitlyn sprawled on her back, and Matthew jumped on the guys' backs._

"_So, Dani… What's goin' on?" Caitlyn asked, concerned about her friend._

"_Actually, now that you mention it, a lot is happening over here on my end," Danielle started. "Did you hear about…"_

_Matt felt her discomfort addressing it directly and decided to help her out. "Yeah, we heard about the concert over the radio, but we didn't know what to believe."_

"_Yeah, you know gossip and the pap… but what really happened?" Rosh continued, "Mary's been cranking out song after song about heartbreak and depression, saying that she deserved better than HIM and he had no right coming back begging for her forgiveness now."_

"_I swear, if she writes one more song about how the world lacks love or that love is just an illusion," Jordan jumped in, "I'm going to strangle myself."_

_After chuckling at Jordan's dramatic behavior, Danielle remembered why she had called. "Guys, I'm sooo sorry for he did, for what THEY did…For Mary and her hurt. For leaving with Jason, and not telling you guys until we were gone. And especially for bringing this up, but I don't know where else to go…and Shane was going to call if I didn't…And it has gotten so bad…and…and…" She paused to let out a sob, finally letting all of her pent-up worry, stress, anger, sadness, and helplessness in the form of tears._

_In less than a beat, Leah had the phone, was sitting upright, ankles crossed, arms wrapped around her knees, imagining she was hugging her best friend as she tried to sooth her. Truly, Leah was to Danielle as Caitlyn was to Mary. "Honey, baby…shhh…it's gonna be ok…shhh…it's ok, just remember: 'Deep Breaths'…oh baby, you know I hate to hear you cry. You always try so hard to be the strongest, but no one can take on EVERYTHING…it's alright to ask for help every once-in-a-while…" As Danielle's sobs came harder, Leah wished nothing more than that she was there, comforting her best friend. "That's right…just let it out…Honey, I wish I could help you, but you have to tell us first what's wrong babygirl."_

_Jordan smiled sadly at one of his best friends/girlfriend/dance partner as she tried to sooth her BEST friend. I mean, they all knew that they were close as a group, but some of them were just closer to each other than the rest. He simply took her hand as she spoke to Danielle, but when Leah started crying, he had Matthew off of his back, and had sat behind her, so that she was between his legs as he pulled her to his chest. He gently took the phone from Leah as she turned to bury her face in his chest as she cried._

_Matthew took the phone from Jordan and went straight back to Danielle. "Sis, hey Dani-girl…listen to me. Whatever you ask, we will try our hardest to do whatever we can."_

_Danielle sniffed and collected herself before continuing. "I'm sorry, it's the same over here. Nate hasn't even left the recording room on the bus since he got on the bus after that concert, except to go to the bathroom, and when he does, he refuses to even acknowledge us…Shane's gotten so fidgety since he isn't performing and HE almost called instead of me, but I caught him. Poor Jase is plugged into the TV on Discovery Planet© trying to not feel helpless to relieve some of his brothers' pains… And Shane and Nate miss you two so much Cait, they never wanted to break up with you but the label said that you couldn't come, being underage, and they didn't want to hurt you by never being with you…_

"_And I've been feeling sooo guilty as I watch them suffer as im still able to talk to you when they're in concert and I'm so, so sorry. I know that I can't, or shouldn't be forgiven, and that you probably don't want to help them…but im desperate… Please please please help them. If not me, I'm fine with that. But please help them. I can see them all suffering sooo much and they still love you and…and…"_

_At the sound of Shane's name Caitlyn's heart fluttered, then dropped when she remembered that he didn't love her. She wasn't good enough for him so that he just up-ed and left when something better (ie. a record deal) came along. HE broke up with HER. But if Cait thought _that _pain was bad, her heart was set aflame now as she heard that the boy she loved was in pain. She still loved him immensely and would do anything within her power to relieve it from his shoulders…'Why hadn't Danielle just let him call?' she wondered, wishing to hear his loving voice, see his handsome face, kiss his amazing lips… She wanted to feel his presence again and feel cared about by him, even though she knew he didn't care._

_She knew he could never love her the way that she loved him and that she would never be good enough to date him again. But she also knew that she had a way to ease his pain, and would._

_Without considering it anymore, Caitlyn took the phone away from her best friend's boyfriend and her sister's partner. Smiling apologetically at Matt for taking the phone away from him she turned back to Danielle._

"_Hey Danielle, listen very carefully. Do not beat yourself up for any of that. It was_ THEM_ not you…and I have a plan to help fix this mess…ALL of these messes. I just need you, Shane, and Jase to trust me and I'll get us out of this…Oh! And keep the paparazzi away." With that, Caitlyn shut the phone, forcibly ending the conversation before walking away to her laptop to send a very important email to a certain curly haired popstar._

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CAITLYN'S POV:

So that was how I found myself at my computer. I still don't know what she said specifically that made me want to help her so much, but I had decided to invite the boys to Mary's party and had emailed them an invitation, without considering what the consequences could end up being. I just knew that phase one of my plan would be to get them here, and then I'd make up the rest as I went along. People always told me that it was no wonder that my favorite show was "Wizards of Waverly Place" because I was so much like the character Alex, causing issues and making my stories and solutions up as I went along.

I had been sitting there, resting my eyes, for no more than thirty minutes before my phone, as expected, rang. Without looking at the caller id, I answered, "Yello."

"Hello? Caity are you there?" a male voice asked. I sat up immediately in shock, as if I had been electrocuted. Out of anything I had been expecting it had not been that Shane's voice would be coming from the other line.

"Sh-Shane?" I stuttered. "Wh-why are you calling me?"

"Babe, we may have been disconnected for a few months, but I still know your email and phone number just as well as anyone else there does. You just sent Nate an invitation to Mary's 17th Birthday party. Actually, you invited all of us."

"Yes I did. And your point would _be_…what exactly? Just cause you guys don't care, doesn't mean that I shouldn't still invite you all to the celebration of birth of someone YOU used to consider to be your _sister_." Caitlyn spat at him. She was really getting annoyed with him now. She had tried to _help_ him by getting Nate out of isolation, which had apparently worked, and now Nate was getting _mad_ at her? Who did he think he was?

Taken aback by her outburst, Shane continued, "Shhh…it's alright. I was just wondering why. Did you talk to Danielle? Why are her eyes red? Thank goodness Jase hasn't noticed or else…" A loud cry of worry, concern, love, anger, and of other emotions came out in the background. Instantly, Cait knew Jason had just noticed. "I take that last part back now…and I'm being dragged…one sec…_Jase, why EXACTLY are you dragging Danielle and I away from the bus?"_

"_Who are you talking to on the phone and why was my girlfriend crying Shane?" _came Jason's distant reply. The two immediately started bickering and Caitlyn could hear Danielle trying to separate them, but failing. She pinched the bridge of her nose and started counting to 10 silently to herself. At seven, she heard Danielle's voice into the receiver of the phone.

"Hey, I know you're not exactly here C, but would you mind?..."

"Dani, who's with you?"

"Just me, Jase, and Shane. We're in Jason's and mine suite at the hotel with the padlock on the door."

"Good. Now I need you to put the phone on speaker and hold it away from your face." Caitlyn counted to 5 before, "GUYS! WILL YOU TWO JUST _SHUT UP?"_

Instantly there was silence on the other end of the phone call as they instantly shut up. Also, I noticed my friends gathering around me, excluding Mary.

"Good, now point one: now that everyone's here, let's start the lesson of the day, shall we?" After no argument Caitlyn smiled, acting sickly sweet, a tone that Shane knew that meant evil and revenge were on the way. "Lesson One: how to speak to people on the phone. Let's start with the _BASICS_, shall we? Good. 'Hey! Are you there? What is your problem? Were you even thinking at all? And, what's wrong with you?' are all _BAD_ examples of conversation starters. The _RIGHT_ way to start a conversation goes like this, 'hi! How are you? How was your day? Are you alright? I know that YOU'VE BEEN SO FREAKING STRESSED ABOUT ME AND MY BROTHERS BECAUSE WE WERE IDIOTS AND DIDN'T BRING YOU AND YOUR BEST FRIENDS ALONG, AS EVEN OUR _BACKUP_ DANCERS, SO THAT YOU COULDN'T INTERVENE AND HELP US FIX OUR ISSUES, INSTEAD CHOOSING TO DUMP ALL OF THEM ON MY BROTHER'S POOR GIRLFRIEND WHO CALLS YOU, CRYING OFTEN, FOR COMFORT AND ADVICE!' would be a much better way to start a conversation. If you are planning on pushing the blame onto someone else, or are going to become accusatory of the person you are calling, make sure to own up to what you have done first. OK, Shane?

"Point two: hi Jason, it's Cait, if you hadn't guessed. Your amazing girlfriend has kept in contact with us and called us today to help with the issue you guys are having with Nate. Mary's having an emotional dilemma of her own, as we prepare to leave for tour, and _having no one help her is not going to help her…_" Caitlyn stared pointedly at Jordan and Roshon, "which is why R and J are going to say goodbye now so that they can help her…_right_?" Rosh and Jordan quickly stood, muttered quick 'see ya guys later' before rushing out of the room, leaving Caitlyn, Leah, and Matthew, and Jason, Danielle, and Shane talking on the phone.

"Proceeding on, where was I…ah yes, Jason." Jase cringed, waiting for Caitlyn's next outburst to be aimed at him. "…Danielle?" she continued.

"Hmmm?"

"Kiss your boyfriend's cheek for me." Caitlyn said in a much softer tone, and Jason could almost see her small smile and blush.

"And kiss his other cheek for me too," Leah butt in.

Laughing softly, Danielle complied, giving her boyfriend two sweet kisses, one on each cheek.

Jason was highly confused now. "Wait, what was that for?"

"For taking care of our Dani as she learns what big shoes she had to fill as she took over, not only hers, but also mine, Leah's, and Mary's shares as your guy's handlers. We totally owe you so much more than you can imagine. Just knowing that she's in good hands makes us feel better here."

"You-you're welcome, I guess…"

"Jason? What's wrong?" Leah asked, immediately catching on to his nervous tone.

"It's just that, I'm not the strongest guy or anything and, really, I was kind've expecting Caitlyn to start shouting at me like she shouted at Shane just now…" Though the girls couldn't see it, Shane and Danielle saw to slight blush come upon his cheeks. At that, Danielle simply kissed her boyfriend on the lips, not caring what other people 'ewww-ed'.

On the other end of the line, Caitlyn was blushing too. "Jase, I would never shout at you unless you deserve it… but anyway we need to come up with an overall plan on how we're going to fix all of this…and no, I won't change my mind and you can't get rid of me no matter how hard you try…"

The two boys from Connect 3 knew better than to argue with her, but when she paused, leaving an expectant tone, Shane decided to speak. "Ok. I know better than to argue with you Cait, but what are we going to do? As of three hours ago, the rest of this tour has been cancelled. Our last gig is tomorrow night, and then Nate's planned for us to go to your place this weekend to go to Mary's party before we head back to Los Angeles. Then you guys are going on tour soon anyway. How and when are we going to find enough time together to fix Nary back together, cause I TOTALLY am convinced they can't live without each other." _Just like I can't live without you_, he thought.

"If what you say about Nate is true, then I agree. But, truthfully, I have no idea how to go at it from this point…" Caitlyn sighed frustrated.

They lapsed into a tense silence as everyone set about thinking for a solution. After about five minutes, Matthew broke out into laughter. The two girls eyed him with a glare from one and concern from the other. As soon as he caught his breath, he explained his sudden outburst. "I-I-I'm sorry…it-it's just so…funny that we di-didn't see it before. The solution is right in front of our faces." At the lack of comprehension on the girl's faces and the confused voices coming from the phone, he rephrased, saying "OK, breaking it down…Caitlyn, who were we going to meet with at dinner?..." he prodded.

"Ummm… our manager and producer?..."

"Right, and what were we going to talk to them about specifically?..." he tried again, happy as a flash of understanding went through Leah's eyes. He laughed as Leah nodded in approval while bouncing in excitement in her chair.

Caitlyn scowled. "How am I supposed to remember everything that Mary…" she paused to listen as Leah cupped her ear and widened as Leah whispered the solution. Before she was done Caitlyn was shaking her head at an alarming speed. "No, no, no…Mary would kill us, you do realize this, right? We would be dead and…gone and…I'm too young to die, and that's exactly what would happen if we did that…and I just…can't, and…wont, and…I'm not ready…and-and…" she paused her random babbling to take a deep breath and to collect herself. Looking at her friends' hopeful faces, hearing the upset voice of the boy she loved on the other end of the phone call and knowing that, no matter how much she denied it, she truly did miss the boys. Not even she could deny that it was a good plan too. They would ALL be forced to spend a lot of time together if this worked out. She knew at that point, she had lost the argument.

Keeping a poker face as she sat back down, she eyed her two friends, who now knew they had won, hesitantly. At their encouraging nods, she kept her eyes locked with theirs as she said, "Ok, I'm only kidding myself. I doubt we could come up with a better plan anyway and, if your label agrees, this could bring us all a ton of good publicity… and I'm rambling." _Just take a deep breath_, she told herself. "but this plan Nate's going to have to be in on, so go get him and we can start planning. Then all the paperwork can be done when you visit for Mary's party."

"Planning _whaaat_ exactly? And why do we need to fill out paperwork?" Jason asked in a hesitant voice.

"Connect 3 will be the opening act for the Dancing Sister's first-ever tour."

* * *

**That's it for this chapter. Ohhh! Turning point! Will C3 agree to be the Dancing Sisters' opening act? Will their label refuse to let them? What will happen with Mary and Nate's relationship? Will our heroes find that true love DOES exist, or will they be forever convinced that true love is a fairytale-like story, told to children to make them happy at night? Will anyone come out of this story happy? Will I ever stop rambling?**

**I don't know about the last one, but I have a good idea about the answers to the other questions. Give me a bit of feedback though, tell me what you think will happen to the characters. What you would like to see.**

**Also, IMPORTANT, I have an overall idea of what I want the tour's theme to be, in fact, I even planned out the entire set list for it already, it just needs a name:**

**Me- "the term 'break,' when combined with other words, is used to convey a lot of emotions. For example, -out, -up, -in, -loose, -dance, -down, -free, -away, etc., can all be heard after the word 'break.' My dilemma is that 4 out of the 8 examples I gave are directions. I was wondering who was creative enough to combine the themes of "break," "forgiveness vs. revenge," and the "directions," ideas into one, quick, witty, and up-beat title suggestion. (The best I've come up with, so far, is 'Break Open/Apart,' 'Breaking in "XYZ/That" Direction,' or 'A New Way of Breaking.'**

**You can tell I need help, cause I have no clue.**


	5. A Bad Birthday

**DISCLAIMER: Camp Rock® is owned by Disney® and the music is by Stevie Nicks (Landslide). My friend Imme also has requested rights to the conversation between Caitlyn and Mary which was directly quoted between us.**

* * *

MARY'S POV:

A few weeks before my birthday, my best friends started acting weirder than normal, sneaking around and whispering randomly. This unusual behavior sparked my curiosity, so I started to watch them more carefully and noticed that Matt seemed overly jumpy, while Caitlyn seemed overly excited.

I began to fear the worst: a surprise party.

I hate surprise parties. One of two things always happened: either the person found out in advance and had to pretend to be surprised, or they sensed something was off without knowing the reason, leaving them unsettled and insecure. Because there is always some hint, something out of the ordinary that gives it away.

All of my friends have heard my opinions about surprised parties many times, so they should have known better. I expected that my best friends would respect me enough to not throw me one, especially when I asked them to just forget it, but then again, they were my best friends. Best friends ignore each other all of the time, especially when the issue was "no birthday party."

I considered confronting them, but then I just decided to go along with it. Better to let it play out than interfere. When Matt called to see if I wanted to spend my birthday with him, before hanging out at the studio for a movie night with my friends I knew I was right in my suspicions. He must be the distraction – he would keep me occupied and out of the way while the others got things ready.

I agreed to the plan, but I wasn't going to make it easy for him.

* * *

CAITLYN'S POV:

February 11. Mary's birthday, the day the boys come back, and the day Roshon _almost_ died at my hands.

"Why the _hell_ am I _awake_ right now?" I ask angrily as I sit up in bed.

"Nice outfit," he replied. I looked down. I was wearing my old ratty, grey sweatpants and a slightly outgrown camisole that reveals a bit of my abs. Oh! Let's not forget that my hair was probably a horrible rats'-nest.

"_Do_ rats have nests?" he smirked.

"Did I really say that out loud?"

"What? Describing your outfit or your hair's messiness?"

"Shut up," I grumbled. He only smiled and motioned for me to turn around so that he could fix my hair. His smile was contagious to my half asleep state and I moved to do as he asked. As I was turning, I made the mistake of leaving an opening where he attacked my sides. Next thing I know, we're rolling on the floor as he's tickling me and I'm trying to escape. He grins triumphantly as he pins me on my back, straddling me as he pins my arms over my head.

"Pinned ya," he smirked triumphantly.

"Who are we, Simba and Nala?" I ask, referring to our favorite movie, the Lion King. He shocks me by leaning down and kissing me in response. I respond and after a minute he pulls away.

"Wh-what was that?" I ask as I try to catch my breath…again. He simply smiles at me so I lean up and kiss him again, tangling my fingers in his hair. It's funny how easily people start dating nowadays.

* * *

MARY'S POV:

The morning of my birthday, February 11, Matt woke me up bright and early. I had to admit he looked nice in his jeans, button-down shirt and unbuttoned black vest. I almost felt guilty when I came out in the ragged jeans and old t-shirt. _Almost_.

"Didn't we agree on eight-thirty?" Matt asked. "Why aren't you ready?"

"I was thinking maybe we could just hang out here today. We haven't worked on a song together in awhile, and I thought that might be fun. Also I want to watch the studio as Caity sets up the Valentines party. Oh, and don't forget that we should be rehearsing."

"B-but what about breakfast? Don't you want to go eat something first?"

I waved dismissively, "We have muffins, eggs, toast, marmalade, jelly, butter, croissants, assorted pastries, sausage, bacon, and milk here."

Matt looked flustered as he stuttered, "But…isn't marmalade and jelly the same?"

"Aren't."

"What?"

It's '_aren't _marmalade and jelly the same,' not _isn't_." I chuckled as I watched him fidget. "Come on, Matt! It's my birthday. Shouldn't I get to pick what we do?"

He sighed, and I knew I had won. "Okay."

I almost gave up on my plan several times throughout the day. He was so distracted while we were working on the song that I ended up doing most of it myself, which was odd because he was usually really intense about our music. If he hadn't looked so hilarious fidgeting, I would have been annoyed. Instead, I decided to take some pity on him and leave the apartment. At least that way Caitlyn couldn't be angry with him.

But instead of letting him pick the activity, I told him I wanted to go play laser tag. The idea of beating computer-nerd Matt at his own game due to superiority in athletic capabilities seemed like a fantastic idea. For hours, Matt and I battled it out in the glow-in-the-dark field and I always won. I knew he was competitive, so I hadn't expected him to lose that much…_he must be feeling down_ I thought.

* * *

When we finally arrived back at the studio, I felt a flicker of guilt as I took in Matt's appearance. His hair was still a mess from being tackled to the ground so much, and his jeans were torn from when he tripped and they caught on a snag. Brushing it aside, I opened her front door to a chorus of people jumping out at me as they yelled "surprise."

_So I was right, go figure._

I smiled as Caitlyn bounced over to me. She matched her purple and green highlights with a bright green tank top saying "Imma Dancer," coupled with a poofy purple, black and green ruffle-layered skirt that ended at her knees. She had accessorized with her black suspenders and her signature multicolored and paint-splattered knee-high converses and charm bracelet. She had polished off the look with her big wireless headphones around her neck, her locket tucked inside her shirt, and large purple hoop earrings.

"Happy Birthday Princess!" she said cheerfully, I just gave her a disapproving look. "What? Ok, I know you don't like surprise parties, but you _HAVE_ to admit this is awesome."

I did. The party was great. The main lights were on, but the moving spotlights still sent colored dots moving across the wall. On one side of the room there was a DJ station and small stage set up for impromptu performances and emotional toasts, a tradition we had kept for years. On the other side of the room, FAR away from any electrical equipment, all kinds of food was set out for the guests in one corner and the few couches were arranged in a chattable circle in the other. Around the edges of the room, people were talking at tall tables or dancing to the music playing—at a decent volume for dancing or for holding conversations.

"Ya, the party is pretty rad…no clue why I said 'rad,' but it works," I smiled at her. "But I'm just curious, what part of 'no matter what, I don't want anything to do with celebrating my birthday this year'?"

"Hmmm…I think it was the '_anything_.' How is that spelled again? I'm not familiar with that term in a negative case."

"A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G," Matt said positively.

"No, I can spell ANYTHING, A-n-i-t-i-n-g. HA!"

"I can spell ANYTING better than you both. N-E-Ting. I'm so smart," Caitlyn said beaming. Matt just rolled his eyes and walked away at that point.

"And I'm so special," I replied.

"I guess that's why your mommy tied you to a rock hit you over the head with a club and pushed you off of a cliff and now you're in a river. Hey look a shark."

"Why is there a shark in the river?"

"Because you are special."

After that, we both dissolved into a fit of giggles at our funny conversation. It took us about 30 minutes to calm down because whenever we tried, we would erupt into more giggles.

"Do—do you—do you hate me?" Caitlyn forced out between giggles.

"No, I could never hate you Catty-cakes," I teased as we were calming down. "Why would you even think that? I could never hate you just because you threw me a party."

She simply stared at me somberly. "I'm glad you like the party May, and still love me, because I _kinda_ did something that you _might_ not like that much…"

"What?"

"Well, I kinda invited a few other people…" she trailed off as she glanced off to the side at a small group of people. Among them I could see Leah, Jordan, Roshon, and…

"DANIELLE!" I shouted in surprise and happiness as I raced over to tackle hug her, causing both of us to fall to the ground.

"Woah there girly," she laughed. "Slow down there! You might hurt somebody!"

"What are you doing here?" I asked in astonishment.

"Caitlyn called and invited me earlier this week and I was able to catch a last minute flight here!" Danielle explained. _It actually was Nate who arranged the flight for us but Mary doesn't need to know that quite yet_… she quietly thought.

"Yay! Now I don't have to suffer Cait's party alone!" I whisper-yelled to her.

"I heard that!" Caitlyn yelled from the DJ's stand across the room.

We all dissolved into another fit of giggles again. After I caught my breath, I excused Danielle and myself so that I could change into better party clothes. As soon as we reached Cait's and my room, Dani went straight to the closet.

"Well, I think this should work," she said, throwing a few articles of clothing at me. I quickly changed into the factory-ripped skinny jeans and plain white tank top. To accessorize, I threw on a black vest, a few necklaces, and tied my hair up in a high ponytail. Throwing back on my white high top tennis shoes, I decided myself ready, and flopped down on the bed next to Danielle.

"What do you think?" I asked.

"Hmmm…I think you look great." _And the shoes'll be great for when you're chasing after Cait and me later to strangle us_ Danielle thought to herself. "Ok. Let's go back downstairs, I think that Cait had something special she wanted to do."

"Ok! Let's go! And the party is amazing, I needed a break, but don't tell Cait I said that."

* * *

After a few hours of the party, and a few toasts from some of her other friends, Caitlyn paused the music and went to the center of the stage.

"Ok guys! Now it's officially time for the best friends to say a few words," she announced. "So, give it up for Matt, Jordan, Roshon, and Leah."

They all jumped up onto the stage, completely ignoring the stairs just to annoy me, and stood in a line. Matthew stepped forward first.

"Hey girly! I just wanted to say 'Happy Birthday!' Oh! And please don't kill me; Caitlyn was going to if I didn't get you out of the house for her to set up. I had no choice!" he paused for some laughter before continuing. "So, back to the toast…I just wanted to say that I've known you for years. I know some of your dirty secrets and I blackmail and annoy you constantly. I've beat up some guys who hurt you, and you had to pull me off of them before I killed them…we've had some great years and I wouldn't trade a second of it for any-_ting_. I still remember the day we met in dance class, you were five and I was…seven?...anyways, I had just moved here and was starting halfway through the semester. We were going to be learning how to waltz and no one wanted to be my partner, preferring people they already knew. You were different, you walked right up to me and demanded that I dance with you, and threatened to break my leg if I even _thought_ about turning you down…from that day on we were partners. After a while, I accepted this, though the threats haven't stopped… now they're aimed to make me get out of bed, or to eat properly, or to stop being such a _boy_…not to dance with you. I enjoyed _every_ competition that we've prepped and gone to. That day, you didn't only save me from embarrassment, but from isolation. That day, you gave me a family and a home. I love that you let me be not only your partner on the dance floor, but also let me be one of your closest friends. Soon we're all gonna be living on a tour - bus in an even closer environment than what we manage now. I want you to know that, while I love you like a sister, I will still go out of my way to annoy you, because I view you as a sister…_and you will have nowhere to run_…" he teased.

After J-man and Roshon did the same birthday rap they do at _every_ birthday, Leah said a few meaningful words. When they all were done, the four looked at each other and silently agreed to something. Roshon grabbed Cait's hand and kissed her cheek quickly to the sound of wolf whistles from the audience, before simultaneously flipping off of the stage with the others instead of taking the stairs, leaving Caitlyn alone on the stage.

"Showoffs!" I shouted teasingly at them, to the amusement of everyone when Matt shouted back, "You bet your 17 years of life we are!"

"OK. My turn!" Caitlyn announced as she sat down on the stool she had brought with her. "Ok, so last week I tried to write a speech, but got bored before I finished a sentence…so I decided to sing instead. I chose two songs, one by Stevie Nicks and the other I wrote with Leah, who will now help me out. Come on up Le."

Leah came up, from the stairs this time, carrying two acoustic guitars. She handed one to Cait as she sat on the stool that Caitlyn had brought out for her. Once both were ready, Caitlyn spoke again.

"Ok, so we're gonna start with Stevie Nick's Landslide. I hope you like it," she smiled.

LEAH:

"I took my love and I took it down  
I climbed a mountain and I turned around

CAITLYN:

"And I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills  
Well the landslide brought me down  
Oh, mirror in the sky  
What is love  
Can the child within my heart rise above"

BOTH:  
"Can I sail thru the changing ocean tides  
Can I handle the seasons of my life  
Well, I've been afraid of changing 'cause I built my life around you."

CAITLYN:  
"But time makes you bolder."

BOTH:  
"Children get older  
I'm getting older too  
Well...  
Well, I've been afraid of changing 'cause I built my life around you  
But time makes you bolder  
Children get older  
I'm getting older, too

CAITLYN:

"Well I'm getting older too  
So, take this love and take it down  
Year and if you climb a mountain and ya turn around  
And if you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills  
Well the landslide brought me down  
And if you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills  
Well maybe. Well maybe. Well maybe the landslide will bring you down."

After they finished, Leah took her guitar and walked off the stage. Jason, dressed all in black, came up as a techie and took the abandoned stool off of the stage. Once Jase was gone, Caitlyn nodded to Shane at the DJ stand to push a button and pre - recorded music started playing…

WAIT! JASON? SHANE? What are _THEY_ doing here?

Though alarmed it didn't take me long to piece the puzzle together; Cait and Dani asking if I hated them, everyone's defensive behavior, the OVERLY long distraction. They _knew_ that I'd freak if the guys came. Well, that I'd freak if _he_ came.

"So I'm guessing by the look on your face that you figured it out?" _Speak of the devil_…

"Nate."

* * *

NATE'S POV:

"What are _you_ doing here?" she asked, venom dripping from her voice.

"Just as hateful as ever I see," I replied coolly.

"You didn't answer my question Nate," she persisted, refusing to be sidetracked. I sighed, admitting defeat.

"I was invited."

Before she could respond, Caitlyn spoke up from the stage.

"Cool it M. They're _my_ guests if nothing else and I don't like it when _my_ guests are murdered," she smirked. "So I need you to shut up and listen to this song I wrote for you. Hey Shane, restart the music."

"Got it! Hey Mary, Happy B-Day!" Shane shouted.

"Hey Sha—_ooph_," was all she got out before she was tackled to the ground in a hug from Jason.

"I missed you sooo much!" he whined. "We never get to see you anymore."

I smiled at my brother's antics. He was still like a loving little kid who refused to let go of his mom. "Yes…Jase I missed you too," she told him. "But …ughhh…Jase your extra 50 pounds of freakin' muscle is squeezing the life out of me…Danielle, honey? Could you me a major favor and please GET YOUR BOYFRIEND FRICKIN' OFF OF ME?"

"Come on Jase…Mary needs to breathe now…You can hug me instead," she cooed between giggles. After about five minutes she was able to coax him off of Mary in-between her spouts of laughter, and I was able to breathe again as I breathed in dramatic gulps of air.

"Hey May-bird?" I smiled at Jason's nickname for her.

"Yeah Jase? What's up?" she smiled back at him, oblivious to the fact that the sight of her smile still sends my heart racing.

"Why do we never get to see you anymore?"

His question threw me off. Mary looked at Shane's and mine guilty expressions and knew that we had never fully explained it to him. That we had never told Jason how we had broken up with Cait and me, how I was heartbroken with Shane, how I had worked so hard to re-build my life without them—without _her_—and now had a very successful career.

"Hey babe, what's up with the hostility?" a guy said to Mary as he walked up and hugged her from behind so that his hands were folded across her stomach. _Wait. Babe?_

"Not much," she told him. Turning back to us, she continued, "Guys, I'd like you to meet my boyfriend, Mark."

_Wait! Boyfriend?_…

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**First, as usual, I'd like to thank my editor for all of the pain and suffering he endures to make the story sound good.**

**Second, I'd like to thank my best friend, Imme (the inspiration for Caitlyn), for giving up her study hall period to inspire the conversations. These are actually her real quotes that she does want credit for... so here it is.**

**This is her B-day present...Happy Birthday girlie! I Love You!**


End file.
